Automatic signaling device



Dec. 27, 1960 I M. w. CLARK AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 17;1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 27, 1960 M. w. CLARK 2,966,674

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 17, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet '2OSCILLATOR SPEAKER I42 BATTERY BATTERY )1% E TOR. Lax M5 Dec. 27, 1960M. w. CLARK 2, 7

AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE Filed Dec. 17, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 739 'ZCONN. PLUG as m0 I64- SWITCH I70 \IZZ ,454 168 ELECTRIC SOLENOID I56zVOICE BATTERY OSCILLI WOR 'co I u I I02 I30 AUDIO AMPLIFIER BATTERYUnited States Patent AUTOMATIC SIGNALING DEVICE Maurice W. Clark, 94Highland Ave., Millinocket, Maine Filed Dec. 17, 1956, Ser. No. 628,868

4 Claims. (Cl. 340-366) This invention relates to an automatic signalingdevice, particularly one in which a missile capable of emitting sound,can be discharged from an airplane.

Oftentimes there are fires that are diflicult to locate by persons onthe ground, hence they cannot be reached and extinguished before theymake great headway and do considerable damage. Accordingly, one objectof my invention is to provide a missile capable of emitting sound, thatcan be discharged from an airplane in the correct location, and whichcommences to emit sound when so discharged.

When the airplane pilot sights the fire, he can fly to a point above it,and then release said missile, which will land at or near the fireslocation. Then my mechanism provides a continuous sound signal thatenables fire fighters to travel directly to the fire, thus avoiding theusual wastage of time trying to locate it.

Another object is to provide said missile with apparatus that isautomatically actuated to emit sound, when released from the airplane byrelease mechanism carried by the latter.

Still another object is to provide mechanism to release said missilethat is operated by a simple movement of a switch, automatically causinga movement of certain mechanism that enables the missile to fall awayfrom the airplane with the sound emitting apparatus in operation.

A further object is to provide such automatic apparatus that isrelatively simple to install on an airplane, and operate by means of theusual electrical system with which the airplane is equipped.

A still further object is to provide simple means for connecting saidmissile to the release mechanism, whereby the missile may easily beattached to the release mechanism and firmly held until said mechanismis actuated.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction,combination and operative arrangement of parts such as is disclosed bythe drawings. The nature of the invention is such as to render itsusceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I amnot to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawings nor tothe particular parts described in the specifications; but am entitled toall such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of an airplane carryingmy automatic signaling device.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevational view of an airplane carryingmy automatic signalling device.

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of my release mechanism with the outercasing removed, showing the release mechanism in locked position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, side elevational View, similar Patented Dec.27, 1960 to Fig. 3, omitting the parachute apparatus, showing therelease mechanism in discharge position.

Fig. .5 is a side elevational view of the missile apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of said missile apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system, for the releasemechanism, shown connected to the airplane electrical system.

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram of the electrical system for the missileapparatus.

As illustrated, my device is mounted on a wing 10 of an airplane Asupported by the usual struts 12 and having the usual landing gear 14and wheels 16.

The release mechanism R for the missile M has a housing or casing 20mounted on the airplane by studs 21. Said casing 20 has two openings 22in the bottom. Hangers 24, which are attached to said missile M, entersaid openings and slide into slots 28 in rotating cams 26 rotatablymounted on shafts 27 supported by said casing 20. Two latching members30 enter said cam slots 28 and thereby retain the cams 26 in locked(horizontal) position shown in Fig. 3.

An electric solenoid 32, connected to the usual airplane electricalsystem, is supported by said casing. It has a compression spring 34bearing against a plunger 36 that is connected to a pivotally mountedlever 38 by a pin 39 freely extending into a slot in said lever. Thislever 38 is fixedly connected as at 42 to an elongate, actuating rod 44-that extends to and is pivotally connected with said latching members30. When 'the spring 34 is in normal position, said actuating rod 44keeps said latching members 30 in said cam slots 28 thus holding thecams 26 in predetermined locking position. A stop pin 46 supported bysaid casing 20 limits the outward movement of said solenoid plunger 36.

When the release mechanism is open, the cam slots 28 communicate withsaid casing openings 22, ready to re ceive said missile M. Said releasemechanism hangers 24 can enter said openings, thus causing said cams 26to rotate to a position where said latching members 30 enter said camslots 28, thus mounting and holding the missile, as shown in Fig. 3,until it is intentionally released. As this mounting action occurs aswitch assembly 50, carried by said missile, is functioning. This switchassembly is mounted in a missile main housing 54 that is filled withfoam rubber or other shock absorber. There is a round probe member 56fixedly mounted in-the lower portion of the release member casing 20 andwhich is normally spaced from a switch actuator 58 wholly within saidmissile housing 54 at all times and it forms part of said switchassembly 50.

When attaching the missile M to said housing 20', said probe member 56depresses said switch actuator 58, thus compressing a coil spring 60 insaid switch assembly 50*. This action moves a contact point 62 away froma contact point 64, in said switch assembly, thus breaking theelectrical circuit in said missile, as shown in said Fig. 3, which keepssaid missile inactive.

At the rear of said release mechanism housing 20, there is a springloaded reel 68 connected to which is a static line 70. A coupling 72 isattached to said line 70 and to a rip cord 74 connected to a parachute76. When the missile M drops, said reel 68 plays out said static line 70until said rip cord 74 effects the opening of said parachute 76. Saidreel 68 then automatically winds said static line 70. A snap ring 78 isshown attached to' said para chute 76, and extending therefrom is aholder 79 attached to said housing 54. I

Said missile M has a removable nose housing which provides a chamber 96to hold water as a ballast, and

which has a removable plug 92. A bulkhead 94 separates said waterchamber 96 from said main housing 54, in which there are power packbatteries 1G2 and 104. Between said nose housing '90 and said mainhousing 54 is a rubber 'seal 108 that makes a water tight connectionbetween the two housings. The nose housing 90' is attached to the mainhousing by Well known fastening means 109.

A positive supply wire 11% extends from said battery 102 to said switchassembly 50. A wire 114 extends between said switch assembly 50 and anelectrical oscillator 116, and another wire 118 extends from the latterto said battery 102. A wire 120 extends from said battery 104 to saidswitch assembly 50 from which a wire 122 extends to a transistorizedaudio amplifier 124. Another wire 126 extends from the latter to saidbattery 104.

A lead wire 128 connects with a voice coil 13d and with a disconnectplug 132 that is connected to said amplifier 124. This wire 128 passesthrough a watertight bulkhead 134 in said main housing 54 and is sealedby a rubber seal. Another wire 136 extends from said coil 130 to saidamplifier 124.

The usual speaker horn 138 is connected to said voice coil 130, andbeyond said horn is a sound baffie 140 which extends into a mesh section142 within said housing 54, that improves the emerging sound.

The constant changing pitch and frequency signal generated by saidrelaxation oscillator 116 passes into said audio amplifier 124 andthence through said wire 128 to said voice coil 130.

When the missile M is mounted on the release mechanism R, the batteries102 and 104 may be later placed in said nose housing 90 when needed.

The wiring diagram for the electrical release mechanism is shown in Fig.7. A wire 154 is connected to the aircraft electrical system through afuse 156, which wire 154 extends to a push button switch 153. A wire 160extends from said switch 158 to a connector plug 162 from which a wire164 extends to said electric solenoid 32, Electrical current is returnedfrom said solenoid 32 through a wire .168 to said connector plug 162 andwire 170 to a ground 172 on the aircraft frame.

When said switch 158 is moved to admit electrical current to saidsolenoid .32, movement of said plunger 36 is effected to actuate saidrod 44 thus moving said latching members 30 out of said cam slots 28.This frees said cams 26, which move to a position, such as shown in saidFig. 4, thus releasing the hangers 24, and the missile M drops by itsown weight. This separates said probe member 56 and switch actuator 58,resulting in said contact point 62 meeting said contact point 64 tothereby close the electrical circuit through said switch assembly 50 insaid missile M. Thus the sound mechanism, previously described, .isactivated to give the warning signal of a fire or other occurrence in acertain locality.

The falling missile plays out said static line 70 from said reel 68,until a predetermined length is reached, when the weight of the missilepulls the rip cord 74 and the parachute opens. Thereafter the springloaded reel 68 rewinds the static line 70.

What I claim is:

1. An automatic signaling :device comprising release mechanism adaptedto be supported by an airplane, a housing having two openings, a missileembodying electrical sound emitting apparatus, two hangers attached tosaid missile adapted to enter said openings, said release mechanismembodying removable .instrumentalities removably attaching said missileto said release mechanism and embodying two cams each having a slot incommunication respectively with said openings, means rotatably mountingsaid cams on said casing, two latching members normally extending intosaid slots and holding said cams in predetermined position, said hangersextending into said cam slots, an electrical solenoid supported by saidcasing embodying a compression spring, a plunger against which saidspring normally bears, a lever connected to said plunger, an actuatingrod connected to said latching members and to said lever and normallyholding said latching members in said cam slots, said lever being sopositioned that when said solenoid is activated it moves said plungerand rod and said latching members to thereby cause said cam to rotateand free said hangers from said cam slots and housing, electrical supplymeans connected to and adapted to actuate said sound emitting apparatus,switch apparatus connected to said electrical supply means and saidmissile sound emitting apparatus and normally open when said releasemechanism and missile are attached and adapted to close when they aredetached, a parachute connected to said missile, and means removablyconnecting said parachute to said device.

2. An automatic signaling device comprising release mechanism adapted tobe supported by an airplane, a housing having two openings, a missileembodying sound emitting apparatus, two hangers attached to said missileadapted to enter said openings, said release mechanism embodying movableinstrumentalities supported by said release mechanism removablyattaching said missile to said release mechanism embodying two cams eachhaving a slot in communication respectively with said openings, meansrotatably mounting said cams on said casing, two remaining membersnormally extending into said slots and holding said cams inpredetermined position, said hangers extending into said cam slots,electrically actuated means supported by said casing embodying a movablemember, a connecting member connected to said retaining members and tosaid movable member and normally holding said retaining members in saidcam slots, said movable member being so positioned that when actuated itmoves said connecting member and said retaining members to thereby causesaid cam to rotate and free said hangers from said cam slots andhousing, electrical supply means connected to and adapted to actuatesaid sound emitting apparatus, switch apparatus connected to saidelectrical supply means and said missile sound emitting apparatus andnormally open when said release mechanism and missile are attached andadapted to close when they are detached, a parachute connected to saidmissile, and means removably connecting said parachute to said device.

3. An automatic signaling device comprising release mechanism adapted tobe supported by an airplane, a housing having two openings, a missileembodying electrical sound emitting apparatus, two hangers attached tosaid missile adapted to enter said openings, said release mechanismembodying movable instrumentalities removably attaching said missile tosaid release mechanism embodying two cams each having a slot extendinghorizontally in normal position and in communication respectively withsaid openings, means rotatably mounting said cams on said casing, twoangular latching members normally extending into said slots and holdingsaid cams in predetermined position, said hangers extending into saidcam slots, an electrical solenoid supported by said casing embodying acompression spring, a plunger against which said spring normally bears,a lever connected to said plunger, an actuating rod connected to saidlatching members and to said lever and normally holding said latchingmembers in said cam slots, said lever being so positioned that when saidsolenoid is activated it moves said plunger and rod and said latchingmembers to thereby cause said cam to rotate and free said hangers fromsaid cam slots and housing, electrical supply means connected to andadapted to actuate said sound emitting apparatus, switch apparatusconnected to said electrical supply means and said missile soundemitting apparatus and normally open when said release mechanism andmissile are attached and adapted to close when they are detached, aparachute connected to said missile, and means removably connecting saidparachute to said device.

4. An automatic signalling device comprising release mechanism adaptedto be supported by an airplane, a housing having two openings, a missileembodying electrical sound emitting apparatus, two hangers attached tosaid missile adapted to enter said openings, said release mechanismembodying movable instrumentalities removably attaching said missile tosaid release mechanism embodying two cams each having a slot incommunication respectively with said openings, means rotatably andescentrically mounting said cams on said casing, two latching membersnormally extending into said slots and angularly beyond said cams andholding said cams in predetermined position, said hangers extending intosaid cams lots, an electrical solenoid supported by said casingembodying a compression spring, a plunger against which said springnormally bears, a lever connected to said plunger, an actuating rodconnected to said latching members and to said lever and normallyholding said latching members in said cam slots, said lever being sopositioned that when said solenoid is activated it moves ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,834,840 HoltDec. 1, 1931 1,893,232 Halsey Jan. 3, 1933 2,247,111 Batchelor et al.June 24, 1941 2,376,330 Dircksen et a1. May 22, 1945 2,382,442 Rich Aug.14, 1945 2,402,143 Arenstein June 18, 1946 2,539,816 Denlinger Jan. 30,1951 2,565,470 Brown Aug. 28, 1951 2,593,432 Freas Apr. 22, 1952

